Potions Are Good For You
by Sumiyaki
Summary: Cloud dislikes drinking Potions. Too bad Zack is looking out for him.


Author's note: Because Squeenix and Suntory teamed up to create an actual Potion energy drink. And apparently, it tastes horrible x)

Disclaimer: Everything to Square-Enix, including the supposedly horrible Potion :D

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Potions Are Good For You

He could sense that Zack was staring at him reproachfully.

"Yeah, I know, okay?" The blonde winced from the pain in his side, right below the ribs, where a deep wound was bleeding profusely.

"What were you thinking, Cloud?"

The SOLDIER had finished wrapping gauze over the injury, looping the covering around his abdomen, and tied it securely above his waist.

"I didn't know there'd be so many monsters in the area!"

"Yeah? Well you shouldn't have gone alone anyway. Who knows what would have happened if I didn't hear you."

He rose, leaving a very flustered Cloud sitting on the chair. Zack opened the doors of a cabinet above near them, and the blonde could hear glass bottles clink against each other as his companion shuffled them around. He eventually found the one item he was looking for and pulled it out. In his hand was a small, innocent-looking bottle, complete with blue glass, blue stopper, and blue label. A languished groan escaped him when Cloud realized what it was.

"Don't give me that look," the SOLDIER admonished him.

"Zack, Potions are _horrid_."

They looked benign enough, but drinking one was like shoving fifty too many healing agents down his throat. Among the other "energy boosting" vitamins, Potions were also mixed with so many herbs that just _didn't_ go together. Ever. And if anything, the fruity layer of sweetness, which he assumed was to make the drink more tolerable, made it even _worse_. It was easy to forget that, indeed, he was supposed to _gain_ 30HP and not _lose_ 100HP, particularly in the mouth region.

"That's why it's _medicine_, you little punk. What do you expect? Wutanese tea?"

He pulled the stopper out and offered the bottle to him. "Now drink."

"Look, I'm perfectly fine. See? The bleeding's stopped already and –ow."

He had attempted to stand, but pain lanced through his side. This wasn't helping his case at all, was it?

The SOLDIER set the little blue bottle on the counter and wrapped an arm around Cloud's waist to help support him.

"Spike," he spoke as though trying to explain a difficult concept to a small child, "you are injured and need to recover."

"…I know."

"A Potion will make said recovery faster."

"I know."

"If you hadn't been stubborn and simply invited me for training, th—"

"I know!"

Zack smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Then drink the friggin' Potion!"

"I don't _want_ to drink the stupid thing!"

Cloud wasn't exactly sure what driving force compelled him to resist, but it was nice to goof off with his friend, especially since they didn't have much free time to do so. …that is, it _was_ nice, until Zack temporarily forgot about his strength and wrapped his arm around Cloud's neck, putting him in an effective headlock.

"Ba_ha_mut! You're making it worse!"

Completely unfazed, Zack replied in mock scorn, "Well, maybe it wouldn't hurt as much if you'd just do what's good for you."

"Goddamn—Zack, let me _go_!"

"Mm?" He playfully ruffled the unruly golden spikes. "Only if you'll stop being such an idiot about taking medication."

Cloud tried to glare at him, but it was hard, considering the position he was in. In defeat, he held a hand out and accepted the Potion. His head was freed soon after, and he dropped back into the chair, taking a long hard look at the… so very _blue_ bottle. He knew Zack was grinning like an idiot at the moment, clearly enjoying his imminent distress. Cloud took a deep breath and drank the clear liquid in one gulp.

He was immediately hit by the reflex to gag but suppressed it, trying to feel the healing effects of the Potion, rather than the physical movement of fluid down –and perhaps up— his throat. He sat still, taking a few moments to "recover".

"…disgusting."

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Zack asked, after it was apparent that the blonde was able to answer.

"Actually, yes. Yes, it was. Here, I saved a little for _you_."

Taking the bottle from Cloud with a smile, Zack tilted the rim to his lips and drank the few remaining drops. His nose wrinkled slightly, and he made a face.

"Ugh. It _does_ have a bad aftertaste, doesn't it? I haven't had a Potion in a while…" Almost casually, he then pulled a pale green orb out of his pocket. "Myself, I generally turn to a Restore Materia…"

As a smirk worked its way across Zack's face, Cloud attempted to register the new information presented to him.

"You… you had that all along?"

"Maybe."

In frustration, he picked up the nearest object, the leftover roll of gauze, and chucked it towards Zack's head. The SOLDIER caught it, of course, but at least Cloud had managed to show his aggravation.

"I'm gonna get you back. You know that, right?"

Zack smiled. "I look forward to it."

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Wutanese? Wutaian… Wutain… Wutaiese… Wutese…  
I was listening to Zack's seiyuu sing while writing this. Sakurai too sometimes. They have nice singing voices too. I'm not totally sure what that has to do with the fic.  
I hope you enjoyed it :)


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